Polyvalent lactams



. Patented Nov. 24, 1942 c 2,303,177 j v PoLY'vALEN'r LACTAMS Paul Schlack', Berlin-Treptow, Germany; vested the Alien Property Custodian 'No Drawing. Application December 8, 1939, Se-

rial8 No. 308,176. In Germany December 6, a 193 v The present invention relates to reactive polyvalent lactams.

I have found that polyvalent N acyl-polyproduction of lactams valuable for the production of poly-' amides may be obtained by treating lactams having a hydrogen atom at the lactam-nitrogen with polyvalent acylating agents. This conversion surprisingly is carried out smoothly even if unstable lactams having a number of ring members of more than 6. are employedand the reaction products show high reactivity-- against substances capable of being acylated, especially hydroxy compounds and amino compounds. By the action of polyvalent acyl lactams on polyvalent substances capable of being acylated very valuable polymers are obtained which, dependingupon the number of. the reactive g-roups in the monomers, are 2- or 3-dimensiona1. The poly?- valent N-acyl-polylactams may be prepared by reacting lactams with acid derivatives, for instance carboxylic acid chlorides, sulionic-acid chlorides, carbamide acid chlorides, polyiso cyanates, and polyvalent acid anhydrides. In some cases they may be obtained by means of the esters or amides or even by means of. the

free acids themselves, especially if the reaction is carried out in the presence, of agents which facilitate the reaction, for instance solvents like phenol and smallamounts of acid or alkaline condensing agents. In the case of acid halides,

the presence of acid binding agents, for instance the addition of tertiary amines-like pyridine or potassium carbonate may beofgadvantage-or the acid halides may-act on metal compounds of the lactams, for instance sodiumcompounds. Pyridine'bases are less suited as acid binding agents in the case when the-reaction'is carried out with sulfonic acid chlorides. In these cases s Claims. (01. 260-239) alkali metal, 'basic reacting alkalior alkaline earth compounds such as sodium compounds of thelactams, sodium methylmalonester, magnesium methylm'alonester, magnesium oleate,

magnesium butyrate.

5-, 6-, 7- and moreimembered lactams are useful in the presence of this invention, for instance butyrola'ctam, piperidone, -caprolactam and alkylated derivatives of caprolactam as well as the lactam oi jg' aminoheptanoic' acid. In-

stead of lactams of simple o-aminocarboxylic acids and their substitution products substances,

may be employed'in' which the ringis interrupted by a hetero atom for instanceoxygen or sulfur, as is the case with the lactam of pi-aminoethylthioacetic acid, which may be easily' obtained from thioglycolic acid andchlorcethyli e; g

The lactamsmay for instance be 'acylatedby the following. acid compcundszfphosgene,

oxalylchloride, adipic acid chloride, sebacic acid chloride, butane-l.2.3.4-tetracarboiiylic' acid dianhydride, piperaainediformylchloride (obtained from piperazine and phosgene), thiodiglycolic acid chloride, terephthalic acid chloride,'1.3.5-

benezenetricarboxylic acid chloride, adiplnyldimostly ortho-estersare obtained which cannot always be rearranged into the corresponding compounds. Rearrangements of this kind may be'favored by the presence of small amounts of alkaline'metal compounds, for instance magnesium oxide and organic magnesium compounds, for instance magnesium ethyl malone ester.

In most cases working in indifferent solvents is the most advantageous. Usually simple heating of the lactams .with the calculated amounts of the polyvalent acid halide used in an indifferent solvent like carbon tetrachloride, benzene, or toluene until the hydrogen halide development ceases, sufllces. If esters are employed for acylation it is advisable .to add a slight amount of an alkaline catalyst, for. instance 55 2 mols of z-caprolactam and3 mols of sebacic";

cyanamide (obtainable by the action of adipic acid es er on sodium cyanamide in alcohol), cyanurchloride (actingon the sodium compound -01 lactams), propanedisulfurchloride (obtained from propane. sulfurdioxide and chlorine-in the presence of light or short wave lengths), 1.4- butanedisulfochloride, diethylether-pp'-disulfochloride, piperazino-bis-suli'uric acid chloride (obtained from piperazinehydrochloride and sulfu'rylchloride), sebacic acid acid diphenylester- The following "examples illustrate the invention: Y

3 w I I Example 1 a 1 2 mols oi e-caprolactamare heated in 3 paix of benzene together with 1 mol adlpic acid chl ride *until the hydrogen chloride development has ceased. Thesbenzene is then distilled ofl. The

' reaction-product remains as an oil which on boiling solidifies to almost colorless crystals having a meltingpoint of 64 C. If this product is heated f with the equivalent amountoi'hexamethylenediamine in a closed vessel for 4 hours to 230 to 250 C. a fusible polymer is obtained which can be spun into fibers from the melt.

Example 2 diphenylester, oxalic acid cholride are heated in benzene, as in Example 1. After distilling oil the greater part of the benzene the reaction product partly crystallizes on cooling in colorless crystals. The remainder is recovered by concentrating the mother-lye. Melting point 61 C. The product shows a very similar behaviour as that of Example 1.

Example 3 Piperidone is heated withadipic acid diamide until the development ofammonia ceases. The reaction product reacts with diamines when heated and forms a condensation polymer.

Example 4 2'mols oi Suberonisoxime are heated with 1 mol pimellc acid chloride'in benzene until the hydrogen chloride development ceases. The reaction product can be condensed aiter distilling of! the benzene with hexamethylenediamine to yield a, condensation superpolymer Example 5 1 part of caprolactam is heated with 1 part" of an interpolymer or maleic acid anhydride and vinylethylether in cyclohexanone for 2 hours at 150 C. The nitrogen-containing reaction product reacts with diamines and forms an insoluble resin.

Example 6 Piperidone is heated in toluene with lA-butanedisulfochloride obtained by chlorinating the isothiourea from 1.4-butylenechloride and thiourea until the hydrogen chloride development ceases. The dilactam remaining after the benzene is distilled off reacts with diamines, monoalcohols and glycols; as described in the preceding examples.

. Example 7 coloration. The same compound is obtained by boiling 01 they benzene solution with a slurry of finely ground; sodium amide in benzene. After the sodium compound has been powderized the calculated amount of adipic acid chloride is added while cooling, the mixture left standing in the cold for 2 hours and finally heated another hour I to 40 C. .After the reaction mass has been de- Example 1.

composed with water and the aqueous layer decanted the benzene solution is worked up as in The adipinyl-bis-e-caprolac'tam is obtained in good yield.

I claim:

1. A proces of preparing poly lactam which comprises reacting monomeric lactams containing the group wherein Y isselectedirom the class consisting or hydrogen and an alkali metal with polybasic acylating agents.

2. A process of preparing poly lactams which comprises reacting a monomeric lactam containing the group v a a Q0N- wherein Y is selected from the class consistin of hydrogen and an alkali metal with a poly acid halide. Y

.3. A process of, pre poly lactams which comprises reacting a monomeric lactam containwherein Y is selected from the class consisting 3 mols of the isoxime oi methylcyclohexanone are heated with 1 mol of 1.3.5-benzenetricar- .boxylic acid chloride until no more hydrogen chloride is set free. After concentrating and cooling the trilactam crystallizes. It reacts with Example 8 1 mol oi e-OfiDl'OlB-Ctfifll is heated in a vacuum of 2 mm. in the presence of /aymol magnesium butylate with V mol sebacic diphenylesteruntil the liberated phenol is distilled ofl. after recrystallization from benzene proves to be identical with the product of Example 2.

. 7 Examples To'a'solution of 1 mol caprolactam there is added a little less than the calculated amount of sodium powder in tolueneand the mixture boileduntil the formation of hydrogen ceases.

The sodium compound of the lactam which is insoluble in-benzene is formed without any dispolyvalent amines andiorms insoluble resins.

of hydrogen and'an alkali metal with an and poly acid ester.

4. A process of preparing poly-lactams which comprises reacting a monomeric lactam containing the group wherein Y is selected from the class consisting of hydrogen and an alkali metal with a free polycarboxylic acid inthepresence of a con- 'densing agent.

The residue -5. 'Ihe'process or preparing poly lactams which comprises reacting an alkali metal compound of a lactam in which the alkali metal is linked to nitrogen with a poly acid halide.

- 6. The process as defined in claim 1 in. which the monovalent lactam has a ring of at least 6 members.

'l. Therprocess as defined in, claim2 in which the monovalent lactamhasa ring of at least 6 members.

8. Polylactams in which at least 2 lactam radicles are linked through their nitrogen atoms by an acyl radicle of a polybasic organic acid.

7 PAUL SCHLACK. 

